The present structure of the Groundwater and Engineering Branch no longer reflects its roles and activities in the fields of groundwater resource assessment and groundwater and engineering geological service work, nor is it flexible enough to meet the modern reguirements of groundwater management. The Branch will therefore be re-organised so as to more effectively service its 4 major functional areas:- 1. Management Orientated Investigations related to areas of groundwater stress 2. Regional Groundwater Assessment Projects 3. Provision of groundwater and engineering geological services 4. Research, Development and Training . The E&WS Department is responsible for the management of the State's water resources, of which groundwater is a significant component, and it is essential that effective liaison is maintained between the two Departments. The existing Groundwater Coordinating Group is the basis for this liaison and would be upgraded in terms of the planning and performance of groundwater studies by the Groundwater and Engineering Branch. An essential component of the plan is the setting up under the umbrella of the currently existing but substantially strengthened interdepartmental Groundwater Coordinating Group, of multidisciplinary teams involving engineers, scientists and geologists from the -Department and the E&WS under a Management Orientated Investigation project team approach. The re-organisation will involve the setting up of Engineering Services and Groundwater sections each headed by a principal geologist reporting to the Chief Geologist. The Engineering Services Section will be responsible for the service function, research and development, while the Groundwater Section will be responsible for the Regional Groundwater Assessment and Management Orientated Investigations function, with special emphasis on liaison with the E&WS Department. Management Orientation Investigations will at all times have priority within the sub-section structure.